D&D General What is the purpose of race/heritage?

[Crimson Longinus]

I don't think it is unnecessary at all to contemplate how alien physiology could inform alien culture. I think that is highly relevant to question of what's the purpose of fantasy races. And how could (or should) that translate into mechanics is a related and also relevant question.

 

[Reynard]

I don't think it is unnecessary at all to contemplate how alien physiology could inform alien culture. I think that is highly relevant to question of what's the purpose of fantasy races. And how could (or should) that translate into mechanics is a related and also relevant question.

The minotaur question is still roiling around in my head. Is it a SPECIFIC labyrinth? That smells like a powerful religious cultural element to me. Is it just labyrinths in general? That is going to lead to a motif that cuts across all aspects of culture. Is it that they have a perfect direction sense? That might have more subtle effects on culture and not really display itself overtly.

 

[Vaalingrade]

But it's also important to ask whether players are going to even want to engage in the weird culture you come up with in order to fulfill that wish.

I remember the Raptorians, a 'now shut up' species of fliers who can't actually fly, who were tree dwellers with dumb bird feet who used foot bows and had a culture based around how they're also egg layers because there were a lot of fetishes colliding in this one.

I remember them because I hate them so much because of all their stupid, pointlessly weird cultural stuff. Also the bubbling distain for flying species that dripped from every page of that thing.

 

[Bill Zebub]

"Minor" is one fewer letter than "ribbon" and requires no special explanation.

I think there are three tiers (at least). So you decide what you want to use in addition to minor and major if you don’t want to use the word everybody else is using.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I wasn't being terribly serious. I don't care what people call things, but I do think that random jargon invention just confuses issues that are otherwise pretty straight forward. I mean, you aren't actually suggesting that "ribbon" is intuitively easier to grasp than "minor ability" are you?

It’s how language evolves.

A ‘minor ability’ is, in my mind, something like Elven Trance. Has mechanical impact, and may even occasionally save the day, but isn’t equivalent to a free cantrip, or 5’ extra movement, or whatever.

A ribbon is ‘your eyes glow whenever you cast a spell’.

And, yes, I actually think it’s perfectly intuitive and exactly the right word. It’s just like a ribbon on a package: makes it prettier without actually changing the value of what’s inside. To me it’s not ‘jargon’ but anti-jargon: using a familiar word to describe a new concept.

What would you have preferred they call the first computer mouse?

 

[Reynard]

It’s how language evolves.

A ‘minor ability’ is, in my mind, something like Elven Trance. Has mechanical impact, and may even occasionally save the day, but isn’t equivalent to a free cantrip, or 5’ extra movement, or whatever.

A ribbon is ‘your eyes glow whenever you cast a spell’.

You just proved that the term isn't particularly useful because different people use it differently, thereby eliminating it's only virtue. So now I not only have to incorporate jargon, but I have to interpret what you mean when you use the term. So "minor ability" remains more efficient.

I honestly don't understand the desire to embrace this kind of terminology. As a serious question, no snark meant: what is the upside?

 

[Crimson Longinus]

I don't think this "semantics of the word ribbon" tangent is super productive...

 

[Cadence]

"minor ability"

So do you mean the 12 "Player's Options: Skills and Powers" abilities? (Stamina, Muscle, Aim, Balance, Health, Fitness, Reason, Knowledge, Intuition, Willpower, Leadership, and Appearance?) or do you mean the special things that only folks under 18 years old get to do?

 

[Mind of tempest]

But it's also important to ask whether players are going to even want to engage in the weird culture you come up with in order to fulfill that wish.

I remember the Raptorians, a 'now shut up' species of fliers who can't actually fly, who were tree dwellers with dumb bird feet who used foot bows and had a culture based around how they're also egg layers because there were a lot of fetishes colliding in this one.

I remember them because I hate them so much because of all their stupid, pointlessly weird cultural stuff. Also the bubbling distain for flying species that dripped from every page of that thing.

why even make it if you hate flying races? plus biology does affect culture but it is a gross oversimplification, environment and a host of other factors are in play.

 

[Reynard]

So do you mean the 12 "Player's Options: Skills and Powers" abilities? (Stamina, Muscle, Aim, Balance, Health, Fitness, Reason, Knowledge, Intuition, Willpower, Leadership, and Appearance?)

I mean, they weren't called that so this is a strawman.

or do you mean the special things that only folks under 18 years old get to do?

Even strawier.